Month: December 2005

  • two down

    Cabled Gauntlets
    Pattern: based on this free one from Crystal Palace
    Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, 1 skein
    Needles: Brittany US 5 dpn
    Finished: December 3, 2005

    Pattern notes: I started with 48 stitches and made below-the-elbow armwarmers – the decreasing and increasing still worked out just right. I also did a different thumb gusset. Fun, fast. Still need to be blocked but I figure I’m probably going to be doing a mass-blocking in a little while, so until then, they’re in the FO pile. I’m almost done my sister’s HP scarf, as there’s a scant 2.5 blocks to do – about 10″. Between reading and Dead Like Me tonight, I should be able to finish it. I’ve even cut the fringe already.

    In the meanwhile, I got a big order from Knitpicks:

    In my defense, not all of it is for me; the pile under the colour-your-own on the left is for Megan H. at the store; we’re both going to make the Nordic Memories pullover from an old IK. There’s also yarn for presents – clogs and toys. But let’s face it, the full bags of yarn in the front are for sweaters for me!

    Oh – check out this Koigu (and Palette) massacre…

    – it can only mean the end is imminent!

    P.S. For those that asked – the Urban Aran is from the Patons “Street Smart booklet”.

  • pattern Saturday

    CLOUD V-NECK RAGLAN

    Cloud is a v-neck pullover, knit in the round from the bottom up to the neck, then the sleeves down from underarm to cuff.

    SIZE
    finished bust measurement: 39”
    my bust size is 36” – this is a looser fit for me, but can work for a range of sizes depending on how fitted you want it to be.

    MATERIALS
    9 skeins Knitpicks Shine (110 yds/50 g)
    4 mm 24” circular needle, or size to obtain gauge
    4 mm dpns/2 circs/1 long circ, or size to obtain gauge
    stitch markers (4)
    scrap yarn

    GAUGE
    20 sts/28 rows in 4”/10 cm square

    DIRECTIONS
    BODY
    Cast on 192 stitches.
    Place marker (marker A) and join for working in the round. Work in k2, p2 rib for 96 stitches, place marker (marker B), continue round in k2, p2 rib to marker A. Continue working in k2, p2 rib for 1.75”.

    Change to stockinette stitch (knit every round). Work even until body measures 1.5” from ribbing.

    Dec round: k1, ssk, k to 3 before marker B, k2tog, k1, sl m, k1, ssk, k to 3 before marker A, k2tog, k1.
    Knit 5 rounds even.

    Repeat these six rounds twice more, then work decrease round once more (total of 4 decrease rows). Work even until body measures 7.5” from cast on edge.

    Inc round: k1, M1L, k to 1 before marker B, M1R, k1, sl m, k1, M1L, k to 1 before marker A, m1R, k1.
    Knit 6 rounds even.

    Repeat these seven rounds twice more, then work increase round once more.

    Work even until body measure 13.5 inches from cast on edge.

    YOKE
    Knit to 5 stitches after marker B. Place the last ten stitches worked (5 on either side of marker B) onto scrap yarn. Knit to 5 stitches before marker A. Place next ten stitches (5 on either side of marker A) onto scrap yarn. Re-place marker A onto righthand needle – this is now the beginning of the round.

    Using scrap yarn, provisionally cast on 50 stitches for sleeve. PM, then work across back stitches. PM, then provisionally cast on 50 stitches. PM and knit to end of round. Knit 2 rounds even.

    Decrease round: *k1, SKP, k to 3 before next marker, k2tog, k1* four times.
    Round 2: Knit even.

    Repeat these 2 rounds a total of 5 times, then begin V-neck shaping:

    On the last work even round, end round 38 (corrected 08/14/07) stitches before beginning of round marker. DO NOT TURN.

    Decrease row: k1, ssk, *k to 3 before next marker, k2tog, k2, SKP* four times, k to last 3 stitches of round (center front), k2tog, k1. Turn.
    Next row: Purl across.

    Repeat these two rows until front sections have decreased down to the front raglan markers. Bind off all stitches.

    SLEEVES
    Place 5 stitches from held underarm gusset stitches onto 16” circular or dpns. Unpick provisional cast on and place next 50 stitches onto needle. Place last 5 stitches from underarm gusset on needle. Place marker – beginning of round is under the arm.

    Next round: k5, pick up and knit one stitch, k50, pick up and knit one stitch, k5.
    Next round: k4, SKP, k50, k2tog, k4.

    Knit 15 rounds even.

    Decrease round: k1, ssk, k to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1.
    Knit 6 rounds even.

    Repeat these 8 rounds a total of 9 times or until desired narrowness.
    Continue knitting even until sleeve measures 19” or 1.5” less than desired length.

    Work 1.5” in 2×2 ribbing (you may need to decrease on the first row to get the right number of stitches for the pattern).

    Bind off all stitches.

    COLLAR

    Starting at the left shoulder, pick up stitches as follows:
    Down the left side of the V – a number divisible by 4 (eg. 28)
    Center front of the V – 2 stitches (place a marker between the 2)
    Up the right side of the V – a number divisible by 4 (eg. 28)
    Across the back neck – a number divisible by 4, plus 2 (eg. 62)
    Place marker for beginning of round

    Next row: Work in 2×2 rib to 2 stitches before marker, k2tog, sl m, ssk, then work the rest of the V in mirror image to the left side.
    Example:
    k2, p1, k2tog, ssk, p1, k2
    Work 2×2 rib around rest of collar.

    Work this round, decreasing every round at centre front stitches for 1” or desired length.

    Bind off all stitches in pattern.

    ABBREVIATIONS
    k: knit
    p: purl
    k2tog: knit two together (decrease)
    ssk: slip, slip, knit (decrease)
    SKP: slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over
    PM: place marker
    sl m: slip marker
    st(s): stitch(es)
    M1L: make 1 left; pick up bar between needles with left needle from front to back; knit through the back loop
    M1R: make 1 right; pick up bar between needles with left needle from back to front; knit through the front loop

    Link freely, but please don’t distribute this pattern. For personal use only. Please email me if you have any problems or to let me know you’re making one!

  • more or faster?

    It’s December, and you know what that means – high gear gift knitting. Well, I don’t even know if it’s possible for me to knit more than I do – so I’m just going to have to knit faster!

    I’m still waiting on a box from Knitpicks (it’s been 10 business days since it shipped) and those projects are somewhat smaller anyway (toys, slippers). Here’s a photo of part of a pair cabled gauntlets I’m knitting for my cuz:

    I’m roughly using the pattern from here, but I’m doing them shorter (to the elbow) and a different thumb gusset. I’m just hoping they’ll fit – I’m already using needles 2 sizes smaller than suggested and it’s definitely not very tight on my arm. I think she might have smaller forearms than me, too. Hmmm. Anyway, they’re fast, and I’m working on the thumb gusset having started the first 2 inches of the project last night.

    Next up, some progress on the (not-so) fiery bolero. Not very exciting, and difficult to see progress – I need to buckle down and finish those looong rows (body + sleeves) so that the fronts will go fast.

    Of course, I’m not completely abandoning projects for myself. I must have something new and fancy to wear at Christmas of course! I’m working on the waistband of the Koigu skirt – I’m going to do the waistband, weave in the ends, block, and then do the waist elastic so I can adjust for post-blocking. I’m a little concerned it’s going to be too short, but I’m a firm believer in the power of blocking. And even if it’s a little short for my taste, it’s definitely not indecently short.

    The Urban Aran. Lovely chunky wool, I want to wear it now! I’ve got one sleeve done and part of the back. I’m thinking the rest of the back will go quickly since the edges will just be 2×2 rib and not the cable pattern.

    Whew! I could barely tear myself away from the needles to write this up! Back to it!